AWSP Blog

AWSP and WASA are excited to share the latest opportunity for our two associations to partner in support of Washington’s education leaders and the students we serve. We want to hear your thoughts and suggestions about TPEP! AWSP and WASA are privileged to hold seats on the OSPI TPEP Steering Committee. To ensure we accurately articulate the desires of our members relating to evaluating teachers, principals, and assistant principals, both associations are launching the Thought Exchange prompt to gather ideas and suggestions from you:

OSPI is proposing to establish a timeline and defined process for professional performance evaluations of certificated principals and assistant principals. The proposal would require evaluations and summative conferences be conducted by the evaluator prior to June 1 of the school year of which the evaluation is made. The proposed timeline would apply to both focused and comprehensive evaluations for principals and assistant principals. The proposal is intended to ensure that principals and assistant principals receive timely feedback as well as indications of their employment status.

Let me just start by saying something super unpopular but true. TPEP is draining principals rather than supporting teachers. There I said it. How do I know? I talk to principals and teachers.  Am I saying good teaching isn’t happening? No. There are wonderful and magical things happening in classrooms throughout the state. Schools are filled with hope, positive energy, enthusiasm, and incredible relationships in every region of our state. Let me clarify: TPEP, in its current, well-intended form, is not working as originally designed. We are not improving instruction as the system was designed or as we all hoped.

At the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released revised Student Growth Rubrics for schools and districts for their optional use this year. The revised rubrics capture key learnings from the past ten years of student growth goals as part of the evaluation process and are informed by feedback from schools that elected to pilot the revised rubrics this year.

In a recent conversation with Sue Anderson, Director of OSPI’s Educator Effectiveness, she reminded me of the required Fall and early Winter TPEP dates. Sue has been a school leader and certainly understands the demands placed on principals and assistant principals. With the frenetic pace school leaders are keeping, they may think they are behind, or missing important TPEP timelines. Here is some quick info for you as you continue to plan out your observation and evaluation schedules. Take a deep breath, you have plenty of time to complete any TPEP requirements.